Baillieu fails state on climate change: Environment Victoria

As the first anniversary of the Coalition’s election looms, Environment Victoria slams the Baillieu Government for turning its back on solar and wind power.

THE BAILLIEU Government has come under fire from Environment Victoria after the group said the Coalition is at this stage failing all environmental assessments.

Concerns arose in response to Baillieu’s Amendment VC82, which gives individual landholders the right to veto wind-farm development within two kilometres of their property.

Statistics sourced from Climate Spectator and Environment Victoria

Environment Victoria’s Campaigns Director Mark Wakeham said the amendment sends a signal to the clean energy industry that it is not welcome in Victoria.

“We seem to be making decisions to maintain our addiction to brown coal and turn our backs on two of the fastest growing industries in the world, in solar and wind power,” he said.

Statistics sourced from Sustainability Victoria

Municipal Association of Victoria President, Councillor Bill McArthur, said that although the environment is a major area of concern, the MAV supports the exclusion zones implemented by the Baillieu government.

“Our councils that we interact with have certainly been quite supportive of that new ruling and unless our members tell us otherwise we would certainly support them in their endeavours to get a good outcome for their communities,” he said.

“Why it’s different from any other energy generating facility, that is yet to be explained.”

Environment Victoria’s assessment on the Baillieu Government will be released late November.